The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-03-22
The Saints Accused of Disloyalty Re
cause they Sought First the
Kingdom of Heaven.

On each faithful, bosom shine;
May we every grace inherit:
.oyd, we seek boon divine.
ELDER N. L. NELSON, of Nephi, a
returned missionary, on being called on
expressed his weakness. His condition
reminded him of the experience OF
Joseph Smith, who dreamed, on one
OCCASION, of being requested to walk
through a mountain. when he took a
step forward, then another, and found
an opening to pass through the rock.
He had taken the irst step in coming to
the stand and had arisen, trusting in
for him to ask for the faith and prayers
of the congregation. 1t was not the
speaker who made meeting interest
ing, he said; but the Spirit of the
Almighty. He felt weak when he
reflected upon the text. "But though we
or an angel from heaven preach any
other gospel untoyou than that which we
have preached, let him be accursed."
He had often thought what sensation
Paul would create were he to appear
among mankind to day and preach the
gospel of Jesus in its fulness; promising
the blessings as of old, and repeating the
promise of the Savior: He that repents
and is baptized shall.be saved; he that
believeth not shall be damned" etc.
How would he be received2 Just as the
humblest Latter day Saint is received
to day. They would cry delusion,
snare, and abuse him, and with that
passage hanging over them, eff We or
an angel from heaven preach any other
gospel than that which we preach, let
him be accdrsed." What was the mis-
sion of man here upon the earth? The
answer was contained in the words of
the Savior: Seek first the kingdom of
God and all things shall be added unto
you"
Branching out into the subject of the
accusations against the Mormons, one
of which was that they were treasona-
BILE, because they Taught that the king
dom Of God was to be established on the
earth, he said; yet those same accusers
had prayed ever since they could lisp,
"Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done
on earth as it is done in heaven" That
was the sum and substance of their dis
loyalty. Elder Nelson inquired to whom
the world belonged and read passage
| from Job. XXXYiii.
Where vast thou when laid the founda-
ton OF the earth? Declare, if thou hast
! understanding.
Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou
knowest? or who hath stretched the line
upon it?
WhereuDon are the foundations thereof
fastened? or who laid the corner stone there
of.
JOB, he said, existed before the world
was. If ne so existed, SO did all bis
brethren and sisters, as recorded in the
18th verse OF that same chapter:
When all the morning stars sang togeth her
and all the sons of God shouted for joy
The sons and daughters of God sang
| together for Joy, etc. Are those sons
and daughters loyal or disloyal? In
the quotations just read, is an explana-
which art in heaven" Man was a child
,, OF God, having been created by Him in
. the spirit. How is it known that these
| spirits have Intelligence? Because they
shouted for joy" because of the con-
| test between the rebellious and loyal
spirits in heaven. Just as they have
their freeagency now, so had they then.
Elder Nelson questioned the correct
ness OF the argument of the infidel.
who claimed that God created one spirit
to preach the gospel and another to
oppose it. When Jesus said, BE We
perfect, even as your Father in heaven
is perfect" he evidently meant what be
said. The attributes possessed by God
| were all possessedby man he said hence,
we say 1.-The glory of man is his inteli
gence," as Joseph said, las man is God
once was" When Jesus said, s'be We
perfect" he meant for men to cultivate
| the attributes within them. A path is
pointed out for mankind to follow in
order to do this. The plan of salvation
was organized for this purpose. How
could mankind cuultivate the principle
of truth? By never telling a lie. How
could they cultivate the principle OF
! charity? They never could if they were
not placed in position to exercise it;so
with love. How with honesty? 1t coulo
never be cultivated by cheating and
lying. So with every other attribute
Men are placed in such positions as to
call those attributes out. The persecu-
tons OF the Saints in this way would
purify them. Gods children could moi
become perfect without taking upon
them a second estate. The first estate
was mentioned III Jude:
And the angels which kept not their frs
estate, 5ut left their o Fn habitation he
hath reserved in everlasting chains updel
darkness unto the judgment OF the great
! day.
Those were the sons of perdition, who
broke the Jaws of their being and who
were not allowed to take their second
estate. 1t is within the power OF the
Saints to stop their own progress here
they had an opportunity TO become
sons. of perdition. If they would
continue the progress they had
behun. they must follow where
God leads. They must trust i'm
plicit'y in the Almighty. As God
saw that His children would not attain
TO perfection. He had provided for them
the second estete. The people were
| sent to this ca to take upon them
bodies of flesh bones. What place
he'll YOU be il tire was no heaven Ii
could cnly be seen By contrast. Unless
the bitter was psrtaken OF the sweet
c0rIfti mt I've or1-cci tad ChrIct -,,o-